~ politics for the people

Reblogged because of the connection with the debate on Zionism, anti-Semitism and support (or its opposite) for the Israeli state in its current form.

I’ve blogged several times about the opposition to Israel and its persecution of the Palestinians by Jews and liberal Israelis, and the immense courage these people show as they are not only reviled as anti-Semites, but also as ‘self-hating’, and ‘not real Jews’. In a poll conducted a few years ago, a majority of Israelis responded that they believed that Israelis who sided with the Palestinians should be stripped of their civil rights.

In this interview from Democracy Now, the news programme’s anchor, Amy Goodson, talks to Rae Abileah, a young American Jewish woman, who was tackled and physically assaulted when she heckled Binyamin Netanyahu when he made a speech to Congress four years ago in 2012. Abileah is a member of Code Pink, and the daughter of an Israeli father. She states that she travelled to Israel, and saw for herself the oppression of the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including the Jews-only roads. She returned to America determined to speak out against it.

Netanyahu was given 29 standing ovations when he spoke to Congress, four more than Barack Obama. Abileah heckled him, shouting demands to end the occupation and persecution. She was wrestled to the ground by members of AIPAC, the American Israel lobbying organisation. This was so violent, that she had to be taken to a hospital to be treated for a shoulder and neck injury.

In the interview she not only discusses the incident, and her motivation in her personal experience of the persecution of the Palestinians, but also about the reluctance to speak out against it in many Jewish communities. She says that there is a ‘culture of fear’ that prevents many Jews from doing as she does. She states that Jews must get beyond the religious narrative, which supports Israel. This is not because she herself is an atheist or anti-religious. She says that she believes that Israel and its policies violate the fundamental tenets of Judaism as written in its sacred texts, and particularly Israel’s mission of tekunah olam, healing the world.

As far as I can see fascism and zionism are the same bedfellows whats in a name it would be nice to know how many there are in the British Political system and how many are not working in British interests we know the US is run by them

Mike. Excellent article and one I’m glad you picked up on, it hit the US media and only one MSN dared to represent it fairly(might have been the Boston Globe, but not sure) The US alternative media had a field day with it and were only too happy to spread her words. I strongly recommend the Israeli media site BT’selem. They are Jewish observers of the occupied territories. As a consequence of them speaking candidly and without bias about the many incidents involving IDF and Jewish Settler activities they have had their HQ office “accidentally” burned down and have now announced that because the many incidents against Palestinians which they have presented for investigation by the ruling elite and especially the military, few if any, are ever acted on, they will no longer co-operate with the military in reporting these incidents.
They are not the only Jews in Israel who are being persecuted for desiring mutual respect between Israelis and Palestinians and the current Israeli administration is making pronouncements against all those who would offer criticism of official policy and targeting them both as groups and individuals. The same thing is happening in the US on campuses in order to stamp out any criticism of Israeli policy towards Palestinians. You can find out how the US are countering the anti BDS Lobby’s tactics from such sites as Mondoweiss. Haretz and Ma’an are also good sites to visit.
Good luck with your future articles involving any criticism of Israeli and zionist calls of anti Semitism.

Subscribe via email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.